US 2004/0200480 A1 · Surgical drape with conductor and method of detecting fluid and leaks in thermal treatment system basins

Abstract

A drape according to the present invention includes a sensing device and is disposed over a thermal treatment system having a basin recessed therein. A drape portion is pushed down into, and conforms to, the basin to form a drape receptacle within the basin for collecting a sterile medium. The sensing device includes electrodes that are typically disposed through the drape and sealed via patches on the non-sterile drape surface. The electrodes provide signals indicating the presence of liquid and/or leaks within the drape container to the system to facilitate control of system operation. In addition, a drape utilized for a plural basin thermal treatment system may form a drape receptacle within each basin. Each drape receptacle includes a sensing device to detect the presence of liquid and/or a leak within that drape receptacle and provide signals to the system to facilitate control of system operation.

Claims50

Dependent claims

A system for detecting conditions within containers formed by surgical drapes during surgical procedures and controlling thermal treatment of said containers in response to said detected conditions, said system comprising:

a thermal treatment unit to thermally treat a liquid and including a basin;
a surgical drape, covering and substantially conforming to said basin, to serve as a drape container for said liquid;
a sensing device including a plurality of conductors each disposed on a sterile drape surface within said drape container and extending therefrom through said drape to a non-sterile drape surface, wherein said conductors are secured to said drape via a plurality of material segments disposed on said non-sterile drape surface, and wherein potentials of said conductors are responsive to contact between said conductors and said liquid and indicate conditions of said drape container;
a controller to operate said thermal treatment unit to control a temperature of said basin;
and
a detection unit in communication with said drape to determine occurrence of said drape container conditions from said potentials of said conductors and to control said controller to operate said thermal treatment unit in accordance with said determined drape container conditions.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Surgical drape with conductor and method of detecting fluid and leaks in thermal treatment system basins

Life of this patent

Surgical drape with conductor and method of detecting fluid and leaks in thermal treatment system basins

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims50